Stargate: Los Angeles
by Deanie
Summary: The SG1 team searches for a new way home when their gate is destroyed by the collapsing Hellmouth. Lucky for them, a new gate has just been unearthed by Wolfram and Hart, in L.A.


Title: Stargate: Los Angeles  
  
Author: Deanie  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Fandoms: Stargate SG1/Buffy/Angel  
  
Disclaimer: All of Buffy and Angel belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.   
  
The SG1 crew belongs to Gekko.  
  
Author's Note: For SG1, takes place late first season. For Buffy, takes place during and after the series finale. For Angel, takes place after the fourth season finale. I know, this doesn't jive with the timelines for both stories, but hey... my alternate dimensions. After all, if Angel went to hell for 100 years and was gone 3 months, who's to quibble about time?  
  
Spoilers for: Angel S4, Buffy S7, Stargate SG1 S1  
  
****  
  
Another day, another mission briefing. Another trip to a mysterious planet with a P-designation he couldn't remember...or didn't want to remember. Colonel Jack O'Neill straightened in his chair, trying to look like he was paying attention to what his colleague, Dr. Daniel Jackson, was saying, even though his mind had zoned out the instant the archaeologist had started talking about translations of the glyphs that they'd found, indicating that this planet might have advanced beings who could be assets in any battles against the Goa'uld.  
  
"The translation is rough," he vaguely heard Daniel say, "but it appears to refer to this Stargate as sitting on the mouth of hell."  
  
Mouth of hell? Jack sat upright, immediately paying attention to the lecture. "Did you say 'mouth of hell'?" Jack interrupted. "Do we really want to go to somewhere referred to as the 'mouth of hell'?"  
  
"That depends on your definition of hell," Daniel explained. "What's 'hell' to the someone like the Goa'uld might not be hell to us. They labeled Cimmeria as a bad place to go because it had anti-Goa'uld technology. Maybe this planet will have similar technology."  
  
Jack remained skeptical. No matter what Danny said, he had no desire to go to anyone's idea of 'hell.'   
  
"But the Goa'uld didn't build the Stargate system, so it's not likely to represent their idea of hell," pointed out Captain Samantha Carter, whose skeptical expression matched O'Neill's.  
  
"Well if the probe is destroyed by fire and brimstone, then we won't go," Daniel retorted, glaring at his colleagues. "Hell is simply a theological designation, meaning different things to different cultures. The Greeks envisioned 'hell' as a world under the earth where those who had offended the gods were tortured for eternity, while the Aztecs saw the underworld as an icy wasteland where people ate poisonous snakes for sustenance."  
  
"Your point?" Jack asked. "I'm sure there was one somewhere in that fascinating mythology lecture."  
  
"The point is that we have no way of knowing what the people who wrote these symbols considered hell. It may be the complete opposite of our ideas."  
  
"Regardless, people," General Hammond spoke up, interrupting the argument. "Hell or not, if this planet might have advanced civilizations and superior technology, we're going there. The purpose of the Stargate project is to find things that might help in a future battle against the Goa'uld, and we are going to accomplish that purpose. Is that clear?"  
  
"Yes, sir," Carter said, as the others nodded.  
  
"We're preparing to send the MALP probe through now. We'll reconvene once we have the probe's data and go from there. Any questions?" The general looked around the table. O'Neill, Carter, Jackson, and Teal'c remained silent. "Good. Dismissed."  
  
***  
  
When the probe's data had returned, the SG1 team had assembled, ready to explore another new world.  
  
"The gate is in a wooded area with a similar climate to Earth. Breathable air, moderate temperatures, and no signs of native inhabitants." Sam briefed the team as the chevrons were encoded. "No fire and brimstone, sir," she reassured Jack.  
  
Jack raised one eyebrow. He still wasn't sure about this. Then again, with all that they'd seen over the last year as SG1, he didn't think anything could surprise him anymore - even a trip to the mouth of hell.  
  
"Chevron Seven locked," announced the familiar voice from the control room, as the Stargate opened.  
  
"SG1, you have go," General Hammond stated. "Good luck."  
  
Jack tilted his head, indicating that the others should proceed ahead of him. He glanced pointedly at Daniel. "If you want to go to hell, be my guest."  
  
The archaeologist rolled his eyes, glaring at the colonel as they entered the gate.  
  
****  
  
The SG1 team emerged into a clearing. Tall pine trees grew around the edges, and they could hear the sound of a stream in the distance.  
  
Jack had his weapon up as he surveyed the clearing. "Well, as far as hell goes, this is sort of peaceful."  
  
"No birds." Sam looked suspiciously up at the treetops. "And the last time we were in the woods with no birds-"  
  
"We were nearly executed by your former fiancé?" Jack quipped.  
  
"Just pointing out that things may not be as peaceful as they seem, sir," Sam kept her gun pointed out into the trees as she spoke.  
  
Jack nodded. "Okay, people, let's take a look around. Teal'c, Daniel, go north and east. Carter and I'll go south and west. Keep your eyes peeled. This place was referred to as the mouth of hell for a reason and I, for one, am not looking forward to finding out why."  
  
****  
  
As they crept through the woods, Sam surreptitiously glanced over at her CO. She'd always loved the way his fatigues clung to his - not going there, she reminded herself. Concentrate on the mission. While the forest was devoid of all animal life, the colonel was right - it didn't seem much like hell. Still, she got a feeling, like something just wasn't right here. Something she couldn't put her finger on.  
  
Jack watched Sam, admiring the graceful way she moved despite the pounds of gear she carried. If only... but those were thoughts that he should not be having. They were colleagues, possibly friends, never to be more. While he was known for bucking the rules when it suited him, this was one rule he couldn't break - or risk destroying both of their careers. Focus, he told himself, inspecting the woods around him. They had to stay on the ball, because he had a bad feeling about this place.  
  
****  
  
Teal'c was exploring ahead of Daniel Jackson, who had stopped to investigate the writing chiseled into the wall of a cave they'd passed. He'd just reached the top of a hill when he felt the shaking of the ground beneath his feet. An earthquake, perhaps? Or some other natural phenomenon? In the distance, he heard rumbling. Then he saw it.  
  
A town sat before him, with rows of dwellings and interspersed businesses. The ominous noise was coming from the far side of the town, but the sight before him was enough to make the Jaffa recoil. A giant hole was forming, sucking the town beneath the earth - a giant hole that was rapidly making its way towards their location.  
  
Perhaps his team was far enough away from the edge of the growing hole, but Teal'c did not want to take that chance. The safest course of action would be to return through the gate, then send another probe through later to assess the damage done to this environment.  
  
He hurried through the dense underbrush, his steps increasingly quick as the sound of the destruction behind him grew closer. "Daniel Jackson, we must leave this place now," he called out.  
  
"But Teal'c-" he protested, emerging from the cave, stopping when he heard the rumbling noise behind them. "What's that noise?"  
  
"We must go, now," Teal'c urged. "Before the ground collapses beneath our feet."  
  
Daniel's eyes widened. "We have to get back to the Stargate," he stated. "Now."  
  
The two took off running for the clearing.  
  
By the time they entered the clearing, Daniel knew they'd never make it. The ever-growing sinkhole would suck them under before they had a chance to dial home. Their only hope was to outrun the destruction that followed them. He exchanged glances with Teal'c, knowing that the other man shared his thoughts.  
  
The muscles in his legs were protesting as they raced through the clearing, calling out for their teammates.  
  
Sam stared at Daniel and Teal'c, trying to figure out why they were running towards them. Daniel was gesturing frantically for she and Jack to move as well. She'd felt the earth's vibrations, mentally calculating the likelihood of continued seismic activity given the rumble from what she presumed was a small earthquake. Could the quake have set off something? Rockslide, or something?   
  
"Run!" she heard Daniel yelling as he and Teal'c got closer.   
  
Jack came up behind her, watching their friends' frantic dash. "What's going on?" What in the world could have Daniel and Teal'c so frantic?  
  
Then they saw it. The great, growing hole...swallowing up trees, rocks, and everything in its path. Including the Stargate.  
  
"Oh god," Sam gasped, unable to believe what she was seeing.  
  
"Swear later, run now," Jack urged, and the two started sprinting up the hill in front of them, away from the increasing destruction. By that time, Teal'c was nearly on their heels, Daniel a few feet behind.  
  
Daniel spared a glance behind him, groaning as he saw the giant sinkhole was mere feet behind them now. "We're not going to make it." He struggled against the protest from his fatigued muscles. Teal'c reached back behind him, pulling Daniel along as they caught up with Sam and Jack.  
  
"We will make it," Jack called out without turning around. "That's an order." No time to complain; they had to keep moving forward or none of them would survive.  
  
The rumbling behind them was starting to die down, and they were almost on the top of the hill when Sam felt the ground slipping out from beneath her feet. She cried out, throwing herself forward in a desperate attempt not to be pulled in. She grabbed a hand, Jack's hand, and he pulled her to safety as the ground settled down behind them.  
  
They'd made it safely beyond the edge of the sinkhole. The four lay on the ground, gasping for breath as they surveyed the destruction behind them.  
  
"Well, we're alive," Daniel offered.  
  
"But the gate's gone." Sam closed her eyes, wishing they were anywhere but here right now. "We're trapped." 


End file.
